Arkansas Vacation: Mountain Tower

Happy Friday! Woo hoo. I'm sure happy the weekend is here, as I always am. It's going to be a bit chilly this Spring weekend, so instead of getting outside much, I think my plan is to watch a movie with the kids and eat junk food. Sounds like a good plan to me! Anyway, today I'm going to share with you the second part of our visit to Hot Springs, Arkansas. You got to see the first part on Wednesday, so here goes the second.

Rising up - seemingly - to the clouds, Hot Springs Mountain Tower can be seen from most areas of the town. After we spent most of the day perusing Bathhouse Row and the shops nearby, we headed up the curvy road to the tower. What? You thought we'd pass that up? No way! 

This is the view of the tower from the parking lot. The elevator (or stairs if you're a glutton for punishment) takes you up 216 feet to the observation deck. In total, it rises 1256 feet above sea level.

A view from the first observation deck, one deck below the second one. This one is completely enclosed and accentuated by 360 degree views through large glass windows. All the directions are designated and one can see the entirety of the Ouachita Mountains (which are part of the Ozark Range).

After viewing the mountain scenery from the first deck, I took the elevator up the last floor to the second observation deck. This one is not enclosed, but had a cement, waist-high safety wall, topped with a plexiglass barrier, and topped with metal cables.  Look at that gorgeous view!

Wow, just look how beautiful it is! You can see across the mountains for miles. It was breathtakingly gorgeous, and I just stared all around me in fascination for awhile. It recalled other moments like this: in the Rockies and at the Cliffs of Moher. 

There's nothing quite like these experiences to really inspire you and leave you in awe. It's a beautiful place we live in, here on Planet Earth, and the magnitude of it is something that never leaves you. I hope you've gotten to gaze upon views such as this one, and, if you haven't, that you will do so one day. To me, seeing a majestic view, like this one, imparts an experience like none other. Peaceful moments wrapped in serenity and accentuated by the beauty of our home on this rock in space. It helps define, change, and inspire us. How fortunate we are.

I highly suggest a visit to Hot Springs. There's so much variety of things to do here. Bathhouse Row, the National Park, the Tower, shopping, and, on top of that, the town is nestled next to Ouachita National Forest which has over 200 miles of hiking trails within it. You could spend a good amount of time here.

I'll be back tomorrow with a non-vacation post, although I do have one more. I think I'll save that post for next week. Have a great weekend! 

-H.A.